Rumor of the day: Palin to announce she’s running for president in Alaska … on September 11? Update: “Ridiculous”

posted at 1:02 pm on September 1, 2010 by Allahpundit

The answer’s almost certainly no, as she surely knows how it would play for any candidate to coopt 9/11 for something as self-aggrandizing as a campaign launch. (Even Giuliani waited until February 2007 to declare.) As much grief as Beck got for holding his rally on the anniversary of MLK’s speech, she’d get a thousand times more, which is the wrong foot to start on for a candidate who needs to rehabilitate her polling among centrists. Besides, as I’ve said before, she’s the one person in the field who can afford to jump into the race late. This would make her the first one into the pool, even before sure-to-declares like Romney. So yeah, this is almost definitely just fun, idle, too-good-to-check speculation.

I say “almost,” though, because something involving Palin is happening in Alaska on September 11 and it’s significant enough to have Glenn Beck in attendance. From today’s new Vanity Fair hit piece (which is already being challenged for accuracy by even left-leaning journos like Ben Smith and John Dickerson), a tantalizing detail:

Moore, a green-eyed blonde who, like Palin, was once an Alaska beauty queen, albeit a few stripes more self-aware, drives her Subaru through downtown Anchorage, steering with one hand, holding a cigarette and her smartphone in the other. When Devon calls to tell her that Glenn Beck has booked the Dena’ina Center, the largest venue in Anchorage, for a speech on September 11, 2010, she sits bolt upright and yells. Immediately, they start trying to figure out what the news might mean. “Listen, listen, listen: Why in the world do you imagine Glenn Beck would come to Anchorage on 9/11? You think he might have a special guest? With a special announcement? Oh,” she says, her whole face falling as the implications of a Palin campaign kickoff hit her, “Jesus Christ.”

Just another embellishment in Vanity Fair’s piece, perhaps? Not quite. Via the Right Scoop, below you’ll find Beck himself on this morning’s show confirming his trip to Alaska and the fact that he and Palin will both be at the event (“a week from Saturday,” a.k.a. September 11). Note how theatrically coy he is about what’s going on: All he says is that they’ll both be speaking, and when asked if it’s political, he (twice) refuses to answer. Presumably they’re going to announce some sort of joint lecture tour or whatever and this is just Beck’s way of teasing the audience by vaguely hinting that it’s something more, but the location, the size of the venue, and the secrecy around it are curious. (For what it’s worth, Beck claimed as recently as three days ago that he won’t run for anything and has no idea what Palin’s doing.) Remember too that it was only yesterday we learned she’ll be in Iowa later this month for her first big speaking engagement — and according to the Des Moines Register, it was her team who approached the Iowa GOP about making that happen, not vice versa. Quote:

Palin began taking a more active approach toward Iowa in late July, when her political action committee told Iowa Republican Party staff that Palin’s people were planning a more aggressive fall campaign schedule and had asked whether the Reagan invitation was still open.

Iowa is actually the biggest reason why she might want to declare early rather than late. As Mark Halperin notes, “caucus goers expect (read: ‘demand’) to see potential candidates early and often,” which helps explain why she hasn’t polled well in the state thus far. But of course, she could let them see her early and often without announcing any sort of candidacy; just book a bunch of speeches and put in some face time.

Exit question one: What’s this really about? Some sort of “honoring the victims of 9/11” memorial event, maybe? If so, why hold it in Anchorage instead of New York or D.C.? Exit question two: What happens to the rest of the field if she jumps in now? Do Romney, Huckabee, Gingrich, etc, then have to declare soon too or should they wait a few months for the Palin buzz to dissipate a bit before making a move this winter? Romney can get away with losing Iowa since he’s the presumptive heavy favorite in New Hampshire, but the rest of the field can’t afford to let anyone build up too much steam there. Hmmm.

Update: Rebecca Mansour of SarahPAC e-mails to say that the rumor that she’ll announce on 9/11 is “ridiculous” and to point out that Palin had a longstanding open invite from the Iowa GOP to come speak. She finally took them up on it this week.

Presumably they’re going to announce some sort of joint lecture tour or whatever and this is just Beck’s way of teasing the audience by vaguely hinting that it’s something more, but the location, the size of the venue, and the secrecy around it are curious. (For what it’s worth, Beck claimed as recently as three days ago that he won’t run for anything and has no idea what Palin’s doing.)

I heard beck on the way in this morning and he sure was teasing about his AK trip next week. He’s got something up his sleeve and I agree with AP, SP has time to jump in late if she does it at all.

Exit question two: What happens to the rest of the field if she jumps in now? Do Romney, Huckabee, Gingrich, etc, then have to declare soon too or should they wait a few months for the Palin buzz to dissipate a bit before making a move this winter?

Romney,Huckabee,Gingrich Etc will re-enact the WWII Battle.…Sink the Bismarck. (Palin being the Bismarck).

Sarah Palin is an empty suit just like Obama. If she declares on 9/11, then she is more of an idiot than I thought. Anyway, Romney will be the nominee, after all the dust has settled. After the mess the messiah is making, we need serious people to bring us back, not celebrities.

I can’t see good coming from 9/11 being co-opted for anything except maybe something apolitical along the lines of what the last rally seemed to be. But still, to have it in Alaska seems a bit… inexplicable.

I thought it was funny on Glenn’s radio show today. He said he would run for President, but would promise to resign after one day. He wanted to replace the bust of Churchill that this bho sent back to GB.
L

Does Palin understand how important it is that the closer we get to November 2nd the more she needs to get out of the news?

ninjapirate on September 1, 2010 at 1:12 PM

That’s foolishness. No one wil bring more energy and get out more voters on Nov 2 than Palin. If we steamroll the Dems in November, it will be in large part due to her effort. The harder she works for the next two months, the better the turnout and the more seats we take.

Wow, we’re less than 20 comments in and NP has already made a cameo to tell Sarah to give it up, and Chudi has made an appearance for his usual “we need a serious douche like Romney to run”. If we can get Ernesto, Dave Rywall and Proud Rino to show up and bash really quick we may be able to close this thread early.

Beck is being coy because he wants people to show up. Shannyn Moore is human excrement with zero credibility on things related to Palin. Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter made an editorial decision to commit his magazine to anti-Palinism two years ago.

Exit question two: What happens to the rest of the field if she jumps in now?

1) Are you really convinced that she will?
2) I do not think she would use 9/11 to do that.
3) Think faithfully, not politically.
4) Nice to see the libs get all wee-weed up. Lots of pluses to that. Just before midterms they attack a conservative female(A popular respected female conservative). It gets it out of the way for when she truly decides to run. What more can they do to this strong woman? Nothing.

Exit conclusion: She is not announcing a run, but she is exposing libidiots and their idiocy(how much of this country is center right again?, and probably going to do some charitable advocacy that will rake in lots of $$ for whatever cause it is, because she and Beck will be headliners. Whats not to appreciate?

1. The press is going to go down in their burning battleship still firing shots at social conservatives. Better to have Beck and Palin in the media playing field shooting back.

2. The economy is going to dominate the electoral map into 2012 and beyond, as we are not getting out of the depression sooner. Only a candidate with a verifiable track record of fixing financial catastrphes will survive.

3. The US voters gave a chance to a young, untried candidate in 2008, just like they did in 1960, and based on the outcome, will not do it again for a while. They will vote for someone who looks and acts like a trust fund manager first.

No declaration. No endorsement.
She’s playing the game of “tweak the Obama propaganda machine” sweetly. Beck left them scratching their hair out with 8-28. This is designed to cause any number of explosions. They project onto her the game as they play it — or would, if they were playing — and she’s not there. It’s like the propaganda machine is playing checkers and she’s playing three-dimensional chess.

3. The US voters gave a chance to a young, untried candidate in 2008, just like they did in 1960, and based on the outcome, will not do it again for a while. They will vote for someone who looks and acts like a trust fund manager first.

Vashta.Nerada on September 1, 2010 at 1:24 PM

In case you didn’t notice, fund managers haven’t been very popular the last couple of years either.

Does Palin understand how important it is that the closer we get to November 2nd the more she needs to get out of the news?

ninjapirate on September 1, 2010 at 1:12 PM

Wrong.Bigtime. At the Beck Rally I spoke to at least 150 people. Twenty of those were “converts”. These are women who didnt know what to think of Palin, or started out weary, believing the MSM about her, but after seeing her attacked so often began to pay attention to what she was saying, and now they are all for Palin. They may not want her to run for president, but they admire her strength and tenacity. Hell even my liberal prof in women’s studies at KSU said “Do you think Palin is a feminist? I’m not sure she is a feminist, but at least she is doing something. I dont know if I am weary of her because she is a conservative or because I am a Democrat.” –Dr.Reay 26 August lecture.

Beck’s way of teasing the audience by vaguely hinting that it’s something more,

This is Beck’s MO for ratings and viewers; just a fact.

If Beck and Palin endorse Romney they will BOTH officially jump the shark. They may have legions of adoring fans, but not drones. Their fans are capable of critical thought and know that Mittens is NOT the man for 2012.

GLENN: Hey Sarah, will you come speak at my honor rally in DC?
SARAH: You betcha! Will you come speak up in Alaska to honor our troops on 9/11?

Probably all there is to it.

MassVictim on September 1, 2010 at 1:24 PM

Yeah, I don’t think she’s going to announce. That’s why I led with the argument against it. But if it’s just an “honor the troops” rally, why the big secrecy? Just announce that it’s an honor the troops rally.

Maybe she just wanted to make the most reactionary people’s heads explode, on the assumption it would take a heavier toll on the left. Based on this thread, I’m not sure it was a good bet.

I find it amazing that, no matter how often she proves that her most strident opponents are fookin’ idiots, they are always poised, quivering, on the edge to be made to look like an idiot once again, before the gloss has even been scuffed off of their last embarrassment.

Get over it fookin’ idiots. If you’re so anxious to disqualify people from running for President, please sign up with your local chapter of birthers and chip away at a disqualification that actually exists, rather than made up ones like “didn’t attend an Ivy League School” or “Isn’t Sufficiently RINO” or “Didn’t come from the state that elected Al Franken to the Senate”. If you don’t like her, don’t vote for her. I will be sure to return the courtesy.

Does Palin understand how important it is that the closer we get to November 2nd the more she needs to get out of the news?

ninjapirate on September 1, 2010 at 1:12 PM

Oh if only Palin had the political skills of an anonymous internet poster. /

Anyway, Romney will be the nominee, after all the dust has settled.

Chudi on September 1, 2010 at 1:08 PM
Doubtful. If he couldn’t beat McCain, I don’t see how he can win the nomination. I’m not against Mitt, but I just don’t see it happening.

Esthier on September 1, 2010 at 1:16 PM

Hard to understand how a guy who couldn’t win the nomination over McCain last time is now considered such a great pick. What has he done to make himself a better candidate, more appealing to the voters? OMO his leadership qualities still are poor – he might make a good Sec of something but not POTUS. And Palin endorsing Romney would make me question her commitment to the conservative movement more than any of her other endorsements.

Yeah, I don’t think she’s going to announce. That’s why I led with the argument against it. But if it’s just an “honor the troops” rally, why the big secrecy? Just announce that it’s an honor the troops rally.

Allahpundit on September 1, 2010 at 1:29 PM

Well I could let you know as I am going to be there. But it may be about her book tour, or the Troops, or something else. The Dena’ina is NOT that big.

It won’t happen on 9/11, but eventually both Beck and Palin are going to endorse Mitt Romney for President. You heard it here first.

rockmom on September 1, 2010 at 1:13 PM
I get the same feeling.

Vashta.Nerada on September 1, 2010 at 1:15 PM
I third that.

upinak on September 1, 2010 at 1:16 PM

Mitt Romney is country club liberal republican. What is teh point of all this if we end up with someone in 2012 who is simply content to be the tax collector for liberal schemes? He would never work to repeal obamacare or any of the other atrocities that Obama passes.

I honestly don’t understand the people who support Mitt. Yeah, if I absolutely had to, i would pull the lever for Mitt over Obama, but a) he isn’t going to garner enthusiasm from the base or independents and b) if elected, he will do nothing to further the conservative cause. Indeed, he is likely to “reach across the aisle” to get stuff passed, which could end up actively hurting conservative causes.